


left behind

by poetsandzombies



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Nightmares, Platonic Cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-23
Updated: 2014-04-23
Packaged: 2018-01-20 12:56:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1511357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poetsandzombies/pseuds/poetsandzombies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky's been sleeping with Steve and Tony since they found him. Tony's insecure. Blah blah. okay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	left behind

**Author's Note:**

> just a little background knowledge that's implied: Steve and Tony were in a relationship before finding Bucky. Also, whether Steve's relationship with Bucky is weirdly "platonic" or romantic in this particular fic is totally up to you, I can see it either way.
> 
> Tried not to ot3 it, but then i had a dream, and I couldn't argue with that.

Tony woke up in the stuffy heat of the summer night, sitting up and pulling off his sweat drenched t-shirt. Next to him, Steve was already awake, sprawled out on his back with a restless Bucky Barnes curled up next to him, his metal arm curled around Steve's side, face buried in the crook of his neck. He squirmed against the man, but didn't toss and turn. Tony sighed, running a hand through his unkempt hair.

"Why don't you wake him?" He asked quietly. Startled, Steve turned to him, but looked relieved to see him awake. 

"He needs sleep, peaceful of not." Steve said. He looked exhausted, hair disheveled and eyes shadowed, drooping like he hadn't slept in days. Tony didn't doubt that he hadn't.

"How much longer are these nightmares going to last?" He wondered out loud, and Steve looked exasperated. 

"Tony, that's not fair. I was there through all of your post New York nightmares." He pointed out. Guilt pooled in Tony's gut, wrapped around his stomach, and he pouted. Steve misunderstood what he had meant by that, but he didn't bother correcting him. 

Just then, Bucky's grip on Steve's hip tightened, and he mumbled in terror-like confusion something along the lines of "not without you." Tony watched Steve's eyes widen, a moment of panic reaching them, but managed a tight smile at Tony as if he hadn't heard.

"You doing okay?" He asked. Tony huffed, his shoulders hunched over his criss-crossed legs, scrubbing his hands over his face. 

"As okay as I can be in a situation like this."  It'd been two months. Tony was inevitably  _use_  to the extra man in his bed. And despite Tony Stark being notorious for his inability to share things, he actually didn't mind it so much. But  _sometimes_...

"I'm gonna get some water." he grumbled, starting to sit up. But Steve's reflexes were faster, he had Tony's hand before he was even fully off the bed, gently pulling him back down, not letting go until the man didn't make another move to leave. Tony sat against the edge of the bed, back facing Steve, hands fidgeting in his lap. 

"Look," He started, jaw hanging open uselessly as he tried to find the rest of his words. "I love Bucky because _you_  love him. And I love Bucky because he loves you. And he's done more for you than I could ever-" He broke off, voice strangled. Behind him, he could here Steve shifting, the bed beneath him creaking, and... light snoring? Tony continued, if only to lighten the burden on his chest.

"I just don't want to be left behind." 

Where was his snarky attitude and light-hearted jokes? It was embarrassing, how little he could pretend when it came to Steve.

Then there were hands wrapping around his waist, a chest pressed against his back, and lips on his neck. Tony leaned in to every touch, letting Steve carry the weight of his world for a moment, as he'd done so many times before. 

"We've got a lot to work out," Steve agreed, hugging him close. Tony's insides went cold momentarily, but Steve kissed his shoulder with warmth. "But you are  _not_  getting left behind." 

The absolute certainty is Steve's tone sent a reassuring shiver through Tony, and he allowed him to to lean them both back into the bed, where Steve could press the whole of his body against Tony's. They laid there for a while, until Tony heard some definite snoring from behind them. He could feel Steve's grin against his shoulder. 

"He never was a quiet sleeper. Was a problem during the war. Now it's just..." Steve shrugged. "Reassuring." 

"At least you can get some sleep now, right?" Tony asked. Steve answered with a yawn.

"Perhaps." 

But even as he said it, Tony could feel Steve's weight become heavier as his body relaxed and he started to drift off. 

 


End file.
